In Need of Healing: A Woman with a Sadness

Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman's only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, "Don't cry." Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I tell you: Get up." The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.

Luke 7:11-15

In my quiet time I've been reading through and soaking up the gospel of Luke.  It's no secret by now- I'm a sucker for stories about Jesus and women. (Dr. Luke happens to contain the most, so I'm slightly partial to him.)  I don't know how this treasure had passed me by in years before, but I've had a hard time getting it out of my head and heart since I read it in my bathtub several weeks ago. 

I love the way The Message translation puts emphasis on this story.  The boy is described as "a woman's only son". The precious woman gets a sentence all her own- "And the mother was a widow."

This says so much. 

In this day and time a woman was solely dependant on her husband and when he died she would be dependant on her sons.  This poor woman had been left with no support.  Not only had she lost her family, but now she would likely be reduced to begging for food in the streets.

Jesus had chosen that day to pass through her village of Nain.  He stopped and observed as the funeral processional came in to sight.  He saw her- the mother, the widow.  His heart broke.  He reacted.  He gave

I am always amazed by the love and compassion of our Savior.  I said it last week and I'll say it again (and most likely again next week, too)- you are no different from this woman.  I don't know the details to your story and I don't know the outcome, but trust me- if your heart is breaking, His is breaking right along with yours.  You are His beloved child.  His treasure.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,

for the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted

and to proclaim that captives will be released

and prisoners will be freed.

He has sent me to tell those who mourn

that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,

and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

To all who mourn in Israel,

he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

festive praise instead of despair.

In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks

that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

 

Isaiah 61: 1-3



In Need of Healing: A Woman with a Sickness....

On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. 

Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him.  His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 

“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Luke 8: 40-48 (NLT)

Two people were in need of healing that day-

The first was Jairus, a synagogue leader- a Jewish leader, at that.  How extraordinary that a Jewish leader would fall down at the feet of a man most Jews thought to be a big hoax.  You can imagine the scene this would have caused.  The crowd surrounded as Jairus begged for healing for his daughter and grew larger and larger as they headed towards his house.  Row after row of people, shoulder to shoulder, elbowing each other for a closer view.

There was another in need of healing that day-

A precious woman, who had known nothing but loneliness and pain for the past twelve years of her life.  She had a bleeding condition.  She was unclean.  Her heart ached for a touch.

So she pressed through the crowd, this woman with a sickness.  I don't doubt at all that her sickness had caused her body to become weak and feeble, but still she found the strength to push through. 

She believed in Him.  That he could heal her.  Though the scriptures said that anything or anyone she touched would become unclean like her, she knew He was different.  She knew she could trust Him to heal her.

"Who has touched me?"  Jesus asked.

Trembling, she fell to her knees before him and spilled out the details of her life.

Not only had she touched his cloak, but also his heart. 

"Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Let's take this story into a modern day setting and make it a little more personal. 

We live in a day and age where medical technology would prevent us from suffering physically as this woman did- and if we did happen to have a problem with hemorrhaging we wouldn't be considered unclean.  We could continue to live with our family, go to church or the grocery store and hug friends without the fear of making everything around us from people to furniture unclean.  (Leviticus 15:19-28) Still, I find that so many women walk around as if they were bleeding and unclean.  I know all to well, I used to be one of them.

Do you feel as if your heart is bleeding and it just won't stop? 

 Has it been torn, broken, abused, shattered? 

Does that make you feel lonely, isolated, ashamed, weak? 

Perhaps we have more in common with this woman than we care to think.

I first taught on this woman this past fall.  I am pretty smitten with all of the women in the bible, but this sweet lady was not on my list of favorites.  Her story made me uncomfortable.  After a week of fighting it, I gave in to the notion that I was to teach on her.  I began to study her story and she (along with my sweet Savior) changed my heart once again.

With everything riding against her, she found the strength to push through the crowd and reach out to Jesus. 

I casually mentioned it before, but let me lay it out for you- the law stated that whomever she touched would become unclean.  That meant by touching Jesus she would make him unclean.  At a certain point in my life, I feared the same thing.  It seemed as if all of my issues and sin would be too much for Jesus- that a touch from me would make Him unclean. 

There is many a debate about why Jesus asked who had touched Him.  He is God after all, shouldn't he have known?

I personally like to think that He just wanted her to share her story aloud.  He wanted a crowd of people to know that His power and grace could overcome such issues and that He is our healer.

You are no different from her, sweet friend. 

I pray that you will find the strength to push through the obstacles in your way and fall at the feet of your Savior. Tell him your story,  pour out your heart and you will find healing.

"Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace."



Woman with a Past

In six short weeks I will be a mother of two little girls, so naturally I am a big ball of tenderness, nostalgia, anxiety and hormones.  As the day of having a pair of sisters approaches, I find myself replaying my life over and over in my mind like an old fashioned movie reel. 

The days of my early childhood are filled with sweet memories and it thrills me to give my girls the gift of sisterhood.  The memories of my teenage years are full of rebellion and lost innocence.  Honestly, as a mother, I pray every day that my girls will not choose the same path that I did.  Life got worse in my early 20's as I let the guilt, shame and sadness of my teen years overtake my mind and actions. 

So here's my question to you-

What's in your past? (You don't have to answer that aloud...)

Is is filled with sickness?  Sadness?  Scandal?

I'm pretty sure we've all got a good mix of the three. 

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet,  they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about our Redeemer.  We will look into the pages of the New Testament and study how He dealt with a variety of women.  Though their pasts were each very different, they were all in need of  His touch.  I pray that you will follow along as we 'settle the matter' and prepare our hearts for a "You-Nique Weekend For Women."

-Sunni



Preparing for the Fast

The past few blogs we have been preparing and encouraging the women of Calvary to get prepared, to get ready for the fast and for revival. For this Sunday, God laid some pretty heavy stuff on my heart to ask the ladies in the small group I lead, and I want to pass those along to you.

1. What are your motives for fasting?
   

   
    

   In Isaiah 58, the people were fasting but getting nothing from it. You know why? Because they did it for appearance sake. They Bible says, they "seem eager." Their fasting was on a superficial, ritualistic level. Are you fasting simply because everyone else is? Are you fasting because you want that time of cleansing and getting your relationship with God on a deeper level? In Isaiah 58:1-5 the people were fasting the way they wanted to and then they were doing what they wanted. The result of their fast – quarrelling and strife. Their definition of fasting was not God's. What is it that God wants you to fast?
   

   
    

2. Are you willing to fast God's way?
   

   
    

   God's definition of fast was connected to behaviors. He wants his people to live an over-comers life not bound to our sin or to be controlled by our sin. He wants the "ropes of the yoke" to be untied. What are you in bondage to?
   

   
    

   God's definition of fasting was very different from their definition of fasting. The results of fasting God's way led to drastically different results than those who fasted their own way.
   

   
    

3. Are you willing to do what the Lord leads you to do during the fast and as a result of the fast?
   

   
    

   The way God desires us to fast means He will lead us to action. In Isaiah 58, fasting God's way lead to social action – feed the hungry, house the homeless, clothe the naked. That means getting outside the church walls to serve him by ministering to others. It can be uncomfortable, but that's when you know you're growing. It won't be your idea, and that's when you know that God is leading you to put aside yourself to put others first.
   

   
    

4. What are the benefits of fasting God's way?
   

   
    

   In verses 8 and 9 it shows if we fast God's way and IF WE ARE OBEDIENT, the reward is recovery/restoration. The reward is that he will be found.
   

Fasting is a denial of our selfish desires putting God first and foremost in our lives. By focusing on God, we are choosing to feed our spiritual life. WHAT YOU FEED FLOURISHES. WHAT YOU STARVE SHRIVELS. When you feed your spiritual life it grows, and your fleshly desires shrivel up. When we feed our fleshly desires (food, anger, spending, pride, you fill in the blank) then those fleshly desires will flourish. They don't stay contained to just one area of your life. Satan has a foothold with one sin in your life, he does not stop there. It spreads.

Ephesians 4:21-31 shows that by accepting Christ and being baptized we are bound to him. He died and conquered sin once and for all. We don't have to live in bondage to our fleshly self. We don't. "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come so that you may have life more abundantly." John 10:10. Romans 6:1-14 says we are to count ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ. We have to die to our fleshly desires daily and choose to follow Christ. We do not have to be bound to our sin. It's a choice. What will you feed? Will you feed your flesh, or will you feed your spiritual life? And if you decide to feed the spiritual and God leads you to do something during the fast or as a result of this fast, ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT?

Ladies, it's time for some spring cleaning a few months early. We need to get rid of the things we cling to that are of our fleshly desires and embrace those things that God leads us to.

Preparing for the Fast -- REPENT

Last week in my small group on Sunday morning, we talked about preparing for the fast, preparing for revival. We talked about how John the Baptist's destiny was to prepare others to meet Jesus and how, like Elijah, his message was REPENT.

Ladies, we need to prepare ourselves for this fast. We need to prepare ourselves for revival. We need to confess our sins to our Creator, and when I say "confess our sins," I mean more than saying, "Please forgive me of my sins." By saying that, we are white-washing our sins and distancing ourselves from our sins. We need to name them. If you don't know what your sins are then pray Psalms 19:12 – 14. God will reveal them to you.

By naming our sins, we may become more like Mary, Martha and Lazarus' sister, who was known in the town of Bethany as a sinful woman. When she came to Jesus, she knew her sins. She wept at Jesus's feet for her sins; she dried his feet with her hair; she kissed his feet. Ladies, she poured the most expensive, extravagant, precious gift she had on his feet – herself and the perfume from the alabaster jar.

Jesus said she did this because it was ordained that she prepare him for his death, but having lived a life so separate from Christ because of her, she poured herself out (her old self) till she was empty, and there was nothing left of herself so HE COULD FILL HER UP. Isaiah 59:1-3, "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things." Our hands are covered with Christ's blood – it is because of our sins that he died for us.

When was the last time you wept at the feet of Jesus because of your sins? When was the last time you truly repented of your sin?

Ladies, you can go through this fast and not get a thing out of it. Isaiah 58 shows Israel fasting but not hearing God in it. We have to repent – no more white-washing.
Repentance isn't a one-time deal either. Repentance is a lifestyle. I'm not talking about a lifestyle of self-loathing or self-deprication. I'm talking about daily dying to our selfish desires and wants. We need to daily put on the armor of God, choose to follow him, and put aside our selfish, immature, self-centered, toxic ways.

If we want to prepare for this fast coming in January of 2011, if we want revival to happen in our lives, WE MUST REPENT. NAME THEM.

Take Jesus Out of the Manger…And Live

So, we've taken Jesus out of the manger and carried him everywhere around the Shreveport/Bossier area. I encouraged you to take Jesus out of your purse every time you make a purchase. You may be wondering what the point to all of this is…it is a physical reminder of something you do every day. You carry Jesus with you every day, everywhere, every minute. He hears what you say with your mouth, in your mind, and in your actions. He sees your actions and the intentions of your heart. Are you living your life like that? Are you living your life in such a manner that his heart is reflected in you? Are you seeing others through his eyes?

Do you remember how we started off this Mary/Martha challenge? Remember how much God loves you and what he was willing to do for you? Let's live like it. Let's dig in his love letter to us and share it with others this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas.

Love ya'll,

 

Kristy

Take Jesus Out of the Manger…And

I have some wonderful girlfriends around the country who have a heart for serving God and for ministering to women. I’ve challenged them to challenge their women to take Jesus Out of the Manger just like I’ve challenged you. You may be wondering, “What’s the point?” Good question.


We decorate every year. We decorate our homes, our cubicles, our yards and even our cars for the holiday season. What if we all left baby Jesus out of the manger? Some do already. Some only put baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas morning and celebrate His birthday. But what if, we take baby Jesus with us wherever we go. I challenged you last week to carry the baby Jesus in your purse. This week, I challenge you to take baby Jesus out every time you open your wallet to buy anything. Set baby Jesus up there right beside the card reader. Keep Him there until your purchase is finalized.

Do you think this has the potential for starting a conversation with the sales clerk? Do you think the person behind you might wonder why baby Jesus is in your purse? So, now, not only are you focused on Jesus, but the cashier and the person behind you. Isn’t that what Christmas is about? This is your opportunity to say, “I believe in saying Merry Christmas because I believe in Jesus Christ, so Merry Christmas.” How simple is that?

Now, what if there is a woman in that same line an hour later who takes her baby Jesus out and places it beside the card reader? What if she does the exact same thing? She has taken the challenge to say, “I believe in saying Merry Christmas because I believe in Jesus Christ, so Merry Christmas.” Do you think it will make an impression on that clerk?

You know what else that means? We will have to be on our best behavior! That clerk will be watching and listening. Are you different from all the other customers who haven’t looked her in the eyes the whole day? Will you be like the others in her life who barely recognize her existence, or will you take the opportunity to look her in the eye and say, “I believe in saying Merry Christmas because I believe in Jesus Christ. I’ve taken Jesus out of the manger and take Him wherever I go. Why don’t you come to our Christmas Eve service?”

Ladies, when the shepherds went to the find baby Jesus, they didn’t keep Him all to themselves. Luke 2:17 said they told everyone what they had been told about the child and that those who listened were amazed. We don’t need to keep this to ourselves. It’s not enough to carry Jesus around in our purses much less our hearts. We MUST share Him, so take Him out of your purse every time you pull out your wallet. I challenge you, and I’d love to see the faces on those who start seeing us pull little baby Jesus’s out of our purses. I want to hear about lives changed because we were bold enough to share Jesus in this simple way…my guess, it is your life that will be forever changed.

His Daughter,



Kristy